This book is a pleasant surprise. It has a simple pleasing appearance, is of the right size and weight, and has print that is easy to read. The content is limited to glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, glucose excretion, urinary concentration, and water balance. The book does not address acid-base or electrolyte physiology. The areas it does cover are presented in an interesting problem-solving way with a variety of examples (the learn-by-doing approach). To learn the specifics of nephron function, the student calculates values for flow, concentration, and so forth for each site on a bucket diagram, in series of examples that vary parameters.

The glomerular capillary filtration section covers the very basics and then dwells on the effects of a variety of factors. These include an altered capillary permeability (Kf), altered oncotic pressure, constriction or dilation of the afferent arteriole, and constriction or dilation of the efferent arteriole.